DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria

Everest survivor recounts near-week ordeal chewing ice to stay alive

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Nepali mountaineer Dawa Sherpa, 57, survived for nearly a week on Mount Everest after running out of oxygen, astonishing the climbing community.
  • He sustained himself by chewing ice and consuming minimal snacks found in his pockets, enduring extreme cold and low oxygen levels in the "death zone."
  • Rescued on June 4 by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, Sherpa is recovering in Kathmandu for frostbite, dehydration, and a fractured thigh bone, though his survival has also sparked anger over alleged delays in rescue efforts.

A Nepali mountaineer has survived an extraordinary ordeal on Mount Everest, spending nearly a week stranded on the mountain's upper slopes with dwindling oxygen and minimal supplies. Dawa Sherpa, 57, disappeared on May 30 during one of the final climbs of the spring season, leaving his family to begin mourning rituals.

I didn’t think I would be alive. I thought I would perish this way. I didn’t get lost. As the oxygen ran out, I fell behind. After the oxygen finished, I couldn’t walk.

— Dawa SherpaDescribing his initial situation after running out of oxygen on Mount Everest.

Facing brutal conditions in the "death zone," where oxygen levels are critically low, Sherpa resorted to chewing ice to stay alive after exhausting his food and water. "I didn't eat anything for the first two days. Then I began chewing ice. It hurt my teeth. I chewed the ice hard," he recounted from his hospital bed. He supplemented this meager sustenance with a few chocolates and snacks found in his pockets, which he soaked in water.

I didn’t eat anything for the first two days. Then I began chewing ice. It hurt my teeth. I chewed the ice hard.

— Dawa SherpaExplaining his survival method while stranded on the mountain.

Sherpa's miraculous rescue occurred on the morning of June 4 when he was found crawling towards base camp by members of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), a Nepali team responsible for route setting and waste management on Everest. He described falling into a crevasse before managing to climb out and walking day and night towards safety.

Stepping on the snow, I stood up and looked above… It felt like I could get out from there. I then looked for ropes and found one. Then I held on to it and walked… eventually I came down.

— Dawa SherpaRecounting how he managed to climb out of a crevasse and descend.

Currently recovering in Kathmandu, Sherpa is being treated for frostbite, severe dehydration, and a fractured thigh bone. While his survival has been met with jubilation, it has also ignited anger among some family members and fellow climbers who accuse rescue teams of failing to locate him sooner. Nepal Mountaineering Association president Fur Gelje Sherpa called the survival "extraordinary" but highlighted serious safety concerns, demanding an investigation into the incident.

He is doing well. We had a chat.

— Mendo Lhamu SherpaDawa Sherpa's daughter, providing an update on his condition.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog